How America can recover from the pandemic
As the pandemic continues to advance in the US, it is clear that better leadership and government action is needed, but what should that look like? The EU just passed a €1.82 trillion COVID relief package, but will the US do the same? Elizabeth Warren has ideas on how the US can most effectively Read More...
20 ways to protect your mental health, according to modern science
Just like we at The Optimist Daily are striving every day to lead a healthy, positive lifestyle, we want our readers to be able to do the same. Modern brain science has a lot to say about what helps protect us given the risk factors of today. With that in mind, here are 20 strategies to practice Read More...
Bicycle garage in the Hague offers cyclists a museum-like experience
Alongside its renowned cycling culture, another thing that makes the Netherlands stand out in the international arena is its groundbreaking approach to architectural design. A recently completed development project in the Hague has brilliantly combined the two Dutch attributes in the form of a Read More...
Giant retailers like Walmart and Target unite to take on plastic bags
Single-use plastic shopping bags are a real problem. They take decades to break down but nearly 100 billion of them are used in the United States every year to cart away goods from retailers. Fewer than 10 percent of those are recycled — often winding up in landfills and waterways because many Read More...
Four things we can change to reduce police violence in America
Calls for police reform have never been louder, but in order for actual reform to take place, we need to make concrete changes that work to keep citizens safe while holding police accountable. The people over at Freethink have written four things we can do to end police violence in America. You can Read More...
Premature births plummeted during coronavirus lockdowns
Covid-19 has side effects. No, we aren’t talking about the side effects of the disease, but rather the impact of the shutdowns on our society. One positive outcome is the significant drop in premature births and potentially revolutionary knowledge about pregnancy. Doctors in many countries, Read More...
Study shows cutting screen time lowers risk of death
We already know that too much screen time can affect everything from sleep quality to creativity, but a study from the University of Glasgow explains that the effects might be more far-reaching than we once thought. Less screen time leads to better health The study followed almost 500,000 Read More...
Fungus found in Chernobyl could protect astronauts from cosmic radiation
One of the biggest challenges facing crewed missions to Mars is figuring out how to protect crewmembers from the onslaught of deadly cosmic rays. Now, scientists at a number of universities say there’s growing evidence that an unusual solution could be effective: building shields out of a Read More...
Scientists use invasive weed species to make wine and cheese
Looking to find a use for an invasive weed species that’s both a threat to native fauna and a nuisance to farmers, Russian scientists have discovered that the extract of the pesky Bidens pilosa, also known as “hairy beggarticks”, is a promising source of enzymes helpful to the wine and Read More...
NASA calls on young scientists to solve the problem of sticky lunar dust
This week on The Optimist Daily Update, our CEO Summers and Editor in Chief Kristy discussed the undervalued role that ingenious teens play in our society. Whether it’s coming up with coloring books to teach kids about the pandemic or donating to climate action, the next generation is a real Read More...